Case Summary

Elizabeth Bird petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus to retrieve Missouri Bird from the custody of Frances Pattmore. Elizabeth claimed that she was the legal guardian of Missouri, while Frances claimed that Elizabeth was unfit for the role. Missouri appears to have remained in the custody of Frances.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Interpersonal

Petition subtype(s)

• Child custody
• Wrongful enslavement

Outcome

Unknown

Fate of bound party

Remained in custody

Case Citation

St. Louis Circuit Court, Civil Case Files, Box 153, Folder ?: December Term 1866, No. 3965

Source material(s)

Case File

Case document transcriptions

• hc.case.mo.0016.001
• hc.case.mo.0016.002
• hc.case.mo.0016.003
• hc.case.mo.0016.004
• hc.case.mo.0016.005

Length of case file

Between 6 and 10 pages

Repository(s)

• Missouri State Archives-St. Louis (St. Louis, Missouri)

State

• Missouri

Tag(s)

• Slavery
• Children

People

• Bird, Elizabeth (Lizzie Bird) (petitioner)
• Bird, Missouri (bound party)
• Pattmore, Frances (respondent)
• Pattmore, Frances (responding party)
• Pattmore, Frances (holding party)
• Enos, Clarke (petitioner attorney)
• Coonley, John J. (petitioner attorney)
• Moody, James C. (judge)

• Additional parties

  Bramble, Cleat E. (notary public)

  Schneider, F. A. H. (clerk)

  Imcedes, H. U. N. S (clerk)